Texas Supreme Court justice to resign

Republican Supreme Court nominee Debra Lehrmann may get a boost in her race from today’s announced resignation from the court of Justice Harriet O’Neill of Houston.

O’Neill already had said she was not going to seek another six-year term, triggering a race for her office.

Lehrmann emerged victorious from a hot Republican primary, prepared to face Democrat Jim Sharp in the general election. Sharp is a judge on the First Court of Appeals in Houston.

But O’Neill’s announcement that she will leave the court on June 20 gives Gov. Rick Perry the opportunity to appoint an interim justice. The likely candidate? Lehrmann to give her incumbent advantage going into the election.

Perry spokeswoman Allison Castle said no decision has been made about who to appoint to fill out O’Neill’s final six months in office.